How to Get Fast, Free Shipping From 5 Major Retailers This Holiday Season
It's the holiday shopping season, the clock is ticking, and there's an even greater chance than usual you want to avoid crowded stores.
What to do? Unsurprisingly, the answer is to continue what you've probably been doing for most of a year dominated by a pandemic: shop online. The problem is that the huge increase in online shopping is beginning to lead to shipping delays, which may get worse as Christmas Day 2020 nears. What's more, delivery fees can add to the complications and often seem unavoidable, especially if you're a procrastinator who needs super-fast shipping at the last minute.
To avoid the fees and get your goods delivered promptly, it's important to know how and where to get that magical combination of shipping that's free and fast. The simplest option for shoppers is to sign up for a subscription service offering unlimited free delivery of orders that often arrive within a couple days, or even on the same day. Amazon Prime is one such delivery service, and the biggest player in the category. Walmart+ is another, and the company just made it easier for members to get free shipping by dropping the $35 minimum purchase requirement for most orders.
Bear in mind that these "free" delivery services should come with an asterisk — because they typically come with a monthly or annual fee. Before you commit and cough up cash for a subscription, take advantage of free trials that generally last from 15 to 30 days. There's no better time of year than now, when you're sure to be ordering online, to test these services out.
It's also good to take into account the free shipping options that require no subscription or fees whatsoever, because then there's no risk of forgetting to cancel a service before the trial ends and you're charged. And remember: There are likely to be some shipping delays in the weeks ahead, so, if possible, shoot for deliveries that will arrive at least a day or two before you really need them.
Below, you'll find all the information you need to know about subscribing to delivery services and scoring free shipping, as fast as possible, from five major retailers, plus details on one shipping service that provides free two-day shipping from dozens of stores.
Walmart and Walmart+
With a Walmart+ subscription, you'll get free grocery delivery for all orders of $35 or more, plus free shipping on other items from Walmart.com with no minimum required. Walmart+ costs $98 per year or $12.95 per month, after a 15-day free trial, and most orders are eligible for next-day or two-day shipping.
